The U.S. government’s approach to nonimmigrant visa (NIV) processing has shifted dramatically, with sweeping new rules that are already reverberating across the globe. As of September 6, 2025, the Department of State (DOS) now requires nearly all NIV applicants—including those seeking business (B-1), tourist (B-2), temporary work (H, L), and student (F, M, J) visas—to schedule their interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or legal residence. This marks the end of pandemic-era flexibility, when applicants often sought quicker appointments in third countries to sidestep long wait times at home.
According to the official statement released by the State Department and reported by Boundless, this policy applies to a sweeping range of nonimmigrant categories but excludes certain diplomatic, official, and UN-related visas. The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to tighten visa scrutiny and, as the Department emphasized, to ensure “thorough vetting of all visa applicants to protect U.S. national security and public safety.”
For many applicants, especially those from high-demand countries like India, the change is more than just a bureaucratic tweak. It’s a major hurdle. The Times of India highlighted that Indian travelers—who once relied on neighboring countries for expedited appointments—are now forced to wait out lengthy backlogs at home. As of early September, B1/B2 interview wait times stretched to three and a half months in Hyderabad and Mumbai, four and a half months in Delhi, five months in Kolkata, and up to nine months in Chennai. The option to book a quicker slot abroad is, for most, off the table.
“One silver lining of the COVID-era disruption in worldwide travel was that the Department of State relaxed its long-standing policy that visa applicants must apply in their country of citizenship or residence,” Erik Finch, director of global operations at Boundless and a former USCIS officer, told Boundless. “In an increasingly globalized and connected world, requiring individuals to travel halfway across the world for a simple visa renewal was antiquated and counterproductive to U.S. labor force requirements, leaving aside that the policy was incredibly restrictive for foreign business and leisure travelers in general.”
He added, “For applicants already dealing with complex immigration policies and requirements, this change only makes it harder for them to pursue education, secure work, or see their families in the U.S.”
The new rules are not without exceptions, but they are narrow. Nationals of countries where the U.S. does not conduct routine NIV operations—such as Afghans, Cubans, Iranians, and Russians—must apply at designated third-country posts. For example, Venezuelans must now travel to Bogotá, Iranians to Dubai, and Russians to Astana or Warsaw. The Department has published an official list of these designated posts, but the travel and logistical burdens for affected applicants are significant.
Applicants must also demonstrate residence in the country where they apply. Those attempting to schedule interviews outside their home country face a higher bar for qualification, longer waits, and nonrefundable application fees. According to Fragomen’s Immigration News Digest, most existing appointments will not be canceled, but exceptions are limited to cases involving humanitarian, medical, or urgent foreign policy needs. In short: there are few loopholes.
Another notable change is that nearly all applicants—including children under 14 and adults over 79—must now attend in-person interviews with a consular officer. This reverses pandemic-era flexibilities and further tightens the process. There are, however, interview waivers available for certain applicants renewing a full-validity B-1, B-2, or B1/B2 visa within 12 months of expiration, provided they were at least 18 years old at the time of the prior visa’s issuance.
The ripple effects extend beyond individual travelers. U.S. employers with foreign national staff, particularly in the tech, healthcare, and academic sectors, are being urged to review mobility plans and brace for longer processing timelines, travel burdens, and additional costs. As Fragomen noted, “Employers should review this update with foreign national employees planning NIV applications, particularly those from restricted countries. Mobility planning should account for longer processing timelines, added travel burdens, and potential cost implications when employees must apply outside their home country.”
The crackdown doesn’t stop at interview logistics. The Trump administration has also ramped up worksite enforcement, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently conducting the largest single-site raid in U.S. history, detaining hundreds of workers at a major manufacturing facility—many of whom were employed through contractors. According to Fragomen, this signals a broader return to large-scale enforcement and highlights the risks companies face when relying on third-party labor arrangements.
In a further expansion of enforcement powers, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced plans to launch its own law enforcement arm. These new special agents will have the authority to investigate, arrest, and prosecute immigration violations—powers traditionally held by ICE. The agency hopes this move will speed up fraud detection, clear case backlogs, and reduce reliance on ICE, which will shift focus to transnational crime and removals. For employers, this marks a shift in USCIS’s role from adjudicator to enforcer, raising the stakes for compliance and recordkeeping.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has suspended nonimmigrant visas for most Palestinian passport holders, extending an earlier ban on Gazans. The suspension covers university study, medical treatment, business travel, and other temporary visits. The Department of State confirmed that it will not issue visas to Palestinian officials affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization or the Palestinian Authority, unless they are based at the UN mission in New York. Waivers are being granted for UN mission officials to attend the General Assembly opening on September 9, 2025, under the UN Headquarters Agreement.
For those caught up in these changes, the advice is clear: plan ahead, check embassy and consulate websites regularly, and consider consulting an experienced immigration attorney for complex or exceptional cases. The new rules are expected to increase wait times, costs, and uncertainty for both individuals and employers. As Boundless put it, “This new DOS policy represents a major shift in how U.S. visa interviews are handled, reducing options for where applicants can schedule appointments and likely increasing wait times and costs for both individuals and employers.”
As the U.S. tightens its borders and steps up enforcement, the landscape for nonimmigrant visa applicants is becoming more challenging and complex. For many, the journey to the United States just got a lot longer—and a lot harder.